Turn a 404 Log Entry into a Redirect

When you identify a frequently-hit 404 URL in the 404 Monitor, you can convert it directly into a redirect rule. This workflow lets you fix broken links without manually copying URLs between the monitor and the Redirect Manager.

Where to find it

Go to SEOvault AI > General > 404 Monitor and use the Redirect button in the Actions column.

How it works

Clicking Redirect on a 404 log entry opens the Redirect Manager tab with the origin URL pre-filled from the log entry. You then specify the target URL and redirect type, and the plugin creates the redirect rule. The log entry remains in the 404 Monitor after the redirect is created — you can delete it manually once you’ve confirmed the redirect works.

Convert a 404 log entry to a redirect

1. Go to SEOvault AI > General > 404 Monitor
2. Find the 404 entry you want to redirect in the log table
3. Click Redirect in the Actions column for that entry
4. The Redirect Manager tab opens with the origin URL pre-filled
5. Enter the Target (Destination URL) — where you want to send visitors instead
6. Choose the Redirect Type (301 for permanent, 302 for temporary)
7. Choose the Match Type (plain or regex)
8. Click Add Redirect

The redirect is now active. Test it by opening the origin URL in a browser or using a tool like curl to verify the redirect works.

Clean up the log entry

After creating the redirect, the 404 log entry remains in the monitor. This is intentional — it lets you verify the redirect is working before removing the record.

Once you’ve confirmed the redirect works:

1. Go back to SEOvault AI > General > 404 Monitor
2. Find the same log entry
3. Click Delete in the Actions column

The entry is removed from the log. Future requests to that URL will be handled by the redirect rule and won’t appear in the 404 Monitor.

When to use this workflow

Use this workflow when:

• A URL in the 404 log has multiple hits (indicates ongoing traffic)
• You know the correct destination for the missing content
• You want to preserve link equity from inbound links pointing to the old URL
• You’ve restructured your site and need to redirect old paths to new ones

Don’t use this workflow for:

• One-off 404s from bots or random typos (just delete the log entry)
• URLs that should genuinely return 404 (deleted content that won’t return)
• Temporary testing URLs that are no longer relevant

Redirect type guidance

When converting a 404 log entry to a redirect, choose the appropriate type:

• 301 (Moved Permanently) — Use when the content has permanently moved to a new location. Search engines transfer ranking signals to the new URL. This is the most common choice for fixing broken links.
• 302 (Found / Temporary) — Use when the redirect is temporary (for example, during a site migration or maintenance period). Search engines keep the original URL indexed.
• 307 (Temporary Redirect) — Similar to 302 but preserves the request method (POST stays POST). Rarely needed for typical 404 fixes.
• 410 (Gone) — Use when the content is intentionally removed and won’t return. This tells search engines the URL is permanently gone. The target URL is optional for 410.
• 451 (Unavailable For Legal Reasons) — Use when content is removed due to legal requirements (DMCA, court orders). The target URL is optional for 451.

Bulk workflow for multiple 404s

If you have many 404 entries to redirect, the bulk workflow is:

1. Identify the 404 entries you want to redirect
2. For each one, click Redirect and create the redirect rule
3. After creating all redirects, select the log entries with checkboxes
4. Choose Delete from the bulk actions dropdown
5. Click Apply

This removes the log entries in one batch after all redirects are in place.

Related docs

• 404 Monitor: Find and Fix Missing URLs
• Redirect Manager: Create 301 and 302 Redirects
• 404 Fallback Behavior: Theme 404, Homepage, or Custom URL